Mason, Tang Earn Godekeraw Honor

(Photos by Lance Wendt)

ATLANTA – Via a unanimous vote of the MCLA Executive Committee, Brigham Young graduate close defender Taylor Mason and Air Force junior attackman Mark Tang have been named the Godekeraw Award winners in their respective division for the 2025 season.

The Godekeraw Award is presented annually to a player in both MCLA Division I and II who excels on the field, in the classroom as well as having a strong community service component. It is the association’s most prestigious award.

Mason, who helped lead Brigham Young to the 2024 national championship and the semifinals this spring, is a three-time All-American on defense and four-time all-RMLC selection. The Highland, Utah, product finished with 50 ground balls, a goal and an assist for the Cougars.

In the classroom, he posted a 3.8 culuative GPA, including a 4.0 mark in grad school. He was twice seleted to the Marriott School of Business Dean’s List and is a four-time MCLA Scholar Athlete.

After serving his two-year service mission in Berlin where he helped refugees from the Middle East and Africa learn German and find jobs, Mason developed a mental health app enabling those going to therapy integrate their personal habits to improve outcomes. He helped fund raise for a Salt Lake City hospital to provide 300 teddy bears to patients during the holidays. In addition to working with his church group, he is a volunteer coach at three local high school lacrosse programs.

“Taylor has been an absolute pleasure to coach over the past four years,” said BYU coach Matt Schneck. “The moment I started working with Taylor when he expressed interest in transferring to BYU, I started to recognize something special. His work ethic was unmatched, his ability to lead was tangible and most importantly, he had balance in his life.

“He excels in the classroom, on the field and in life. I have been able to depend on his feedback as a three-year captain and recognize that his contribution was always more than what he would accomplish on the field. With that being said, Taylor is one of the most dynamic and talented players to have ever played defense at BYU. He is a game-changer, a difference-maker on and off the field, and the epitome of a great teammate.”

Tang was the starting attackman for the Falcons, who have advanced to the national semifinals in all three of his seasons. The Moraga, Calif., native buried 34 goals and dished out 17 assists in 2025 for the 9-4 outfit. An two-time All-American and three-time RMLC first team selection, Tang was the MCLA Player of the Month for February.

Tang maintains a 3.95 overall GPA and he is the highest ranked Business Management major at the academy.

He is the founder and president of Substance Free Athletics, a non-profit organization that aims to combat youth substance abuse among athletes by utilizing anti-drug curriculum to clarify the negative effects on sports performance. He is also the Cadet Squadron Religious and Community Service leader, a position that led to his selection as Cadet Group 1 Cadet of the Month for exemplary community service. He also dedicated time to lead a group of tutors in political science and philosophy at Air Force.

“Mark is a phenomenal person, on and off the field,” said Air Force coach Robert Koehler. “On the field, he is our leader. His vision is uncanny, and he makes everyone around him better because they know they can get a feed from him at any time.

“As good of a feeder as he is, he is even a better shooter. His ability to make shots from very little angle is unbelievable. Mark is a great lacrosse player, but he is even a better person. He works extremely hard at everything he does, and he is very humble.”